# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1975_S352 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 352 HIGHER EDUCATION WHEREAS. In reply to dissent against “A Statement” the CTCR has reasserted the harmony and agreement of “A State- ment” with the Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions: and WHEREAS, “A Statement” directs itself to the heart of the theological controversies in the Synod today: therefore be it Resolred, That the Synod in convention assembled endorse the statement of the CTCR with reference to ‘A Statement”: and be it further Resolved. That the Synod submit “A Statement” to every faculty member of every college and seminary in the Synod and demand that each faculty member sign a declaration in which he subscribes to “A Statement’ without reservation and also promises to teach within the theological framework of “A State- ment”: and be it further Resolved. That should any faculty member refuse to sign such a declaration. he be dismissed from his position immedi- ately: and be it finally Resolved. That such decisive action be implemented no later than Sept. 1, 1975. Mount Hope Lutheran Church Casper. Wyoming Richard Means, President Dennis Burwell, Secretary J. B. Brown, Pastor 6-115 To Prohibit Historical-Critical Method in Our Schools WHEREAS, We of St. James Lutheran Church desire to ex- press our gratitude to President J. A. O. Preus and other synodical officials, who under the guidance of the Holy Spirit courageously confronted the improper or false teaching at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Mo.: and WHEREAS. Such false teaching is the inevitable result of the use of the historical-critical tool of Biblical interpretation, un- worthy of application to the Word of God provided for us by chosen servants of God writing under the inspiration of God; and WHEREAS, Since false teaching generally comes about quietly and deviously; therefore be it Resolved. That it behooves our Synod, our leaders, our churches, and educational institutions, at all levels, to exercise all diligence to make certain that no instructor who believes or teaches contrary to the clear Word of God is retained: and be it further Resolved. With regard to the theories of the historical-critical method, which are inimical to Biblical truth, no one who is unqualified or unwilling to refute this false theory should be permitted to profess this subject matter at any level in our educational institutions, because in the absence of such a policy it would be better to have no school at all: therefore be it finally Resolved, That the Synod, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, divest itself of false teachers, strife, and contention, to the end that we can unite in service to our Lord and King and to the precious truth He has taught. St. James Lutheran Church University City, Mo. John Essen, President Carl Meinecke. Secretary Tom Baker, Pastor 6-116 To Insist that Theological Faculties Teach in Harmony with Article II WHEREAS, It has been clearly shown and stated in Resolution 3.09 (adopted as amended) of the 1973 New Orleans convention that the “theological, doctrinal stance of the faculty majority of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, has been shown to be in viola- tion of Article II of the Synod’s Constitution,” on the following points: 1) subversion of the authority of Scripture: 2) “Gospel reductionism,” reducing the authority of the Scripture to its Gospel content: 3) denial of the function of the Law as a guide for the Chris- tian life; and WHEREAS. Claims of adherence to Article II of the Constitu- tion of the Synod by the former St. Louis seminary faculty majority have been made. the real truth of the matter is that there is no longer agreement as to what Article II of the Consti- tution means: and WHEREAS. In the Synod's 128-year history, synodical conven- tions, via their doctrinal resolutions. have not only reaffirmed Article II of Synod’s Constitution but have actually determined its interpretation for our Synod; and WHEREAS. The theological and doctrinal stance of the former St. Louis seminary faculty majority declared in the following, “Response of the Faculty of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis” to Dr. Preus’s A Statement (April 4, 1972); Faithful to Our Calling. Faithful to Our Lord. Parts I & II (Dec. 1972): “Re- sponse of the Faculty of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, to the ‘Report of the Synodical President’” (May 22, 1973): and Concordia Theological Monthly of the past 5 years, is not in accord with the Synod’s interpretation of Article II of the Constitution; and WHEREAS, The former St. Louis seminary faculty majority has engaged in activities that have not illuminated the doctrinal issues but rather have obscured and confused them; and WHEREAS. The former faculty majority has given little evi- dence to the church of their desire to be reconciled and has openly defied all those placed over them in authority who have sought reconciliation: therefore be it Resolved. That all theological faculties in the Synod must be bound to teach only in accordance with our Synod’s under- standing of Article II of the Constitution; and be it further Resolved. That we exhort and demand of the Board of Con- trol of the St. Louis seminary, Board of Directors of the Synod, Board for Higher Education of the Synod, and the synodical President, in spite of the opposition and misunderstanding: 1) to continue on its course of offering reconciliation and exercising discipline rather than compromise: 2) to continue its course of maintaining the doctrine of the Scriptures as the Synod has expressed it: and 3) to avoid all compromises that would put a cloud of un- certainty on our Synod’s doctrine of Scripture. regardless of cost: and be it finally Resolved. That those in authority in the Synod take to heart St. Paul’s admonition in Rom. 16:17-18: “And now I implore you, my brothers, to keep a watchful eye on those who cause trouble and make difficulties among you, in plain Opposition to the teach- ing you have been given, and steer clear of them. Such men do not really serve our Lord Christ at all but are utterly self- centered. Yet with their plausible and attractive arguments they deceive those who are too simplehearted to see through them.” (Phillips) St. John’s Lutheran Church Dieterich, IIl. Delbert Mundt, President Philip Kaufmann, Pastor St. Paul’s Lutheran Church Wheeler, IIl. Sam Ragsdale, Chairman Philip Kaufmann, Pastor 6-117 To Require Proper Procedure for Faculty Dissent WHEREAS, The members of Grace Lutheran Church, LCMS, Moses Lake, Wash., believe that the synodical Constitution and Bylaws serve as administrative guideline: therefore be it Resolved, That our synodical President (and others elected on a synodical, District, or local level) use the powers vested in them under the Constitution: and be it further Resolved, That the chain of command and responsibility be adhered to in matters concerning the Board of Control and Boards of Education as indicated in the Constitution: and be it further